A man charged with a deadly firebomb attack on a gathering of supporters for Israeli hostages in Gaza is set to plead guilty this week, The Associated Press reported on Monday.
According to the report, court documents reveal that Mohamed Sabry Soliman plans to admit to murder and various other charges in connection to the June 1, 2025 assault in downtown Boulder.
The attack targeted a peaceful demonstration at a pedestrian mall where participants met weekly to show solidarity with Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Soliman threw two Molotov cocktails into the crowd, causing a fire that injured a dozen people and led to the death of an 82-year-old woman.
Soliman, an Egyptian national residing in the United States illegally, reportedly told investigators that he had spent an entire year planning the massacre. Authorities state his self-professed goal was "to kill all Zionist people."
Despite having more than two dozen incendiary devices in his possession, he fled after throwing two while shouting "Free Palestine!"
Boulder Mayor Pro Tem Tara Winer, who lost friends in the tragedy, described the event as a "horrific attack" that "changed lives forever." Soliman now faces a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for his state-level charges.
While a guilty plea is expected in the state case, Soliman has pleaded not guilty to federal hate crime charges. His defense team is attempting to argue that the assault does not qualify as a hate crime under federal law. They contend that his actions were motivated by opposition to Zionism, which they define as a political movement, rather than a specific religious or ethnic group.
Under current federal statutes, crimes motivated by political disagreements are generally not categorized as hate crimes. However, federal prosecutors allege the victims were targeted specifically due to their actual or perceived connection to the State of Israel.
Soliman moved to the US from Kuwait in 2022. Federal defenders claimed the attack was "profoundly inconsistent" with his past behavior and shocked his family. His former wife and five children were recently released from immigration detention under electronic monitoring despite a standing deportation order. His legal team is currently working to delay their deportation, arguing they may be needed for future court proceedings.